Bullshit

22 Paths of Imperfection

This is a small format book with 119 pages. It’s perfect for dropping in a bag or stuffing in the back pocket of your jeans. Initially I wasn’t so sure of the small format as the binding is quite tight and I had to forcibly fold the pages back. After a few sections though it grew on me quickly and its actually perfect for what Matt intended with this book. After all a flight manual should be carried with you and used. Not left on a bookshelf.

This book starts with a very personnel forward about the problems the author has faced in life. As somebody who considered suicide at least once a week for over 30 years this hit a chord with me and I instantly felt connected the the book and the author.

I can see myself constantly referring to this book every time I’ve got 10 or 15 minutes spare. Read about 1 card, refresh my memory on it and contemplate the story Matt presented. Perfect for the bus, train, stuck in traffic etc… This is exactly the book I’ve been needing on Tarot, though, this book just covers the major arcana. I hope there will be a follow up soon covering the minor arcana.

Each card is presented over a couple of pages though some cover more than others, such as the High Priestess which is 7 pages long. Initially you have a story on the card and its path on the Tree of life, then the Hebrew letter associated with that path and further discussion on the symbolism and and how one mingles with the other. It works brilliantly for me, I remember things better if there is a tale associated with the information. For example, Matt describes the High Priestess a bit like a rollercoaster ride. It can be fun or terrifying yet at the end everything is okay. The Hebrew letter Gimel is associated with the High Priestess. Gimel is the Camel, and a Camel travels from one good place to another, often through harsh conditions and terrain. However, the Camel has his built in water supply so he can survive the journey and face the hardships along the way. This use of allegory just hits the spot triggering all the right synapses in my brain to help me remember.

I was expecting to read this book in one sitting however the information is presented in such a way that I’ve found myself reading about each card and then putting the book down while I digest it.

I can’t rate this book highly enough. I’ve 5 books on Tarot here but none of them have really helped me in the way this one has. Sure I’ve learnt something from each of them but at times it was a dry hard slog. This little book is a gem and one that will never find a home on my bookshelf. If its not on my desk, it’ll be in my handbag.